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At-Home Fitness: Aka “Best Laid Plans”

Editors Note: I’m always cautious when writing about fitness or diet on this blog. I have learned a great deal from friends who have battled eating disorders and body issues in the past (and are still managing these disorders), and I know that commenting on fitness/diet trends can sometimes act as a trigger for them.

So, with that said, I’d warn anyone reading further that this is an examination of fitness trends where I do talk about my hopes for my post-pregnancy body. If that might upset you, please feel free to read our archives instead where there is a great deal of content on other fun things to keep you amused while you enjoy your morning coffee. To the others who are hoping to learn more about at-home fitness videos, stick with me. I’ll need your advice.

Ally: As I wind down on this pregnancy, and have finished up work, I have more time to reflect on the copious amounts of ice cream I have eaten over the past nine months. I have zero regrets about this, I enjoyed every spoonful (as did my baby), but I know this satisfaction will have a lasting effect once I give birth in June (or like, earlier. It’s totally ok if it is earlier!).

As my pregnancy comes to an end, I’m thinking about how I’d like to get my body back into fighting form so that I can be strong, healthy and let’s be serious, fit into my pants again. There’s no real rush, as I hope to breastfeed and this means that losing weight is not going to be a top priority. With that said, exercise and a healthy diet has always helped me feel better when I’m going through periods with lack of sleep and need some extra energy to get me through the day.

So why fitness videos? Because I’m a realist. I know that if I sign up for a gym, I will never go. That’s my life. Clearly I so dedicated to exercise that I’m willing to leave my house or neighbourhood to achieve results. Real talk. This means I’m looking at the following choices for my home fitness regime. I feel so sorry for my newborn who will have to watch me attempt this shit.

The woman is terrifying, ok? This is a good thing. It’s like someone constantly judging you through your television screen. And I think I need this motivation. In my research, I also found this lovely lady who expressed my sentiments exactly in an exchange with Michaels:

When I talked about writing this post a couple of weeks ago, one of my dear friends Isabel sent me a note expressing the following:

I have two words for you: Jillian Michaels. I know she kind of seems like a crazy betch, and maybe she is, but I have to say that her workouts are great You are done in 30 minutes, feel accomplished, and are on to the next.

I need endorsements like this on my LinkedIn page….”So about Ally, I know she seems like a crazy betch, and maybe she is…”

Straight up I would not want to be friends with this woman. Anderson was quoted last year as saying the following:

“A lot of women use pregnancy as an excuse to let their bodies go,” Anderson said. “I’ve seen so many women who come to me right after (having children) with disaster bodies that have gone through hell, or they come to me years later and say, ‘Oh, my body is like this because I had three kids.’”

Not great PR, Trace. She quickly came forward to say that this “wasn’t what she meant” (???!!!), but the damage was sort of done. Or was it? Cause I’m totally contemplating buying one of her workout videos.

Call me vain, my husband does, but the reason I’m interested in Tracy Anderson’s workouts is because I want legs like this:

So, the thing is, the video above showcases basically what I do on the daily around my home office to the exact same music (this is 100 per cent truth telling…I made a dance routine up to this J-Lo song. Pour me a box of wine and I’ll break it out someday).

Her workouts seem fun, and the type that can keep you distracted from the fact that you are actually working out.

Insanity

This looks like a commitment. Something that a mother of two might not be able to accomplish. It also looks really scary and could potentially cut into my daily Law & Order maternity leave viewing.

Insanity is also the workout that I’ve been hearing the most about, and the one that seems to have the greatest success (to those who commit to it). The trainer is also not awful to look at it.

I’m trying to imagine L-A hanging out with me if I was wearing the “Insanity – I earned it!” t-shirt. I think she would not.

Feedback?

So here’s where I need your help, do any of you workout at home? I’m looking for a video that can compliment my daily walks (sometimes I go twice a day). Muscle tone is my goal, not necessarily dropping lots of weight.

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